ld bring them to the Judge's solitary mansion across the
mountains.

I was amongst them, and in as satisfactory a mood as I had ever been
in my life; for the night was favorable, and the men hearty and in
first-rate condition.

But after we had started, and were threading a certain wood, I began
to have doubts. Feelings I had never before experienced assailed me
with a force that first perplexed and then astounded me. I was afraid,
and what rather heightened than diminished the unwonted sensation, was
the fact that I was not afraid of anything tangible, either in the
present or future, but of something unexplainable and peculiar, which,
if it lay in the skies, certainly made them look dark indeed; and if
it hid in the forest, caused its faintest murmur to seem like the
utterance of a great dread, as awful as it was inexplicable.

I nevertheless proceeded, and should have done so if the great streaks
of lightning which now and then shot zigzag through the sky had taken
the shape of words and bid us all beware. I was not one to be daunted,
and knew no other course than that of advance when once a stroke of
justice had been planned, and the direction for its fulfilment marked
out. I went on, but I began to think, and that to me was an
experience; for I had never been taught to reflect, only to fight and
obey.

The house towards which we were riding was built on a hillside, and
the first thing we saw on emerging from the forest, was a light
burning in one of its distant windows. This was a surprise; for the
hour was late, and in that part of the country people were accustomed
to retire early, even such busy men as the Judge. He must have a
visitor, and a visitor meant a possible complication of affairs; so a
halt was called and I was singled out to reconnoitre the premises, and
bring back word of what we had a right to expect.

I started off in a strange state of mind. The fear I had spoken of had
left me, but a vague shadow remained, through which, as through a
mist, I saw the light in that far away window beckoning me on to what
I felt was in some way to make an end of my present life. As I drew
nearer to it, the feeling increased; then it, too, left me, and I
found myself once more the daring avenger. This was when I came to the
foot of the hill and discovered I had but a few steps more to take.

The house, which had now become plainly visible, was a solid one of
stone, built as I have said, on the hillside. It fa